Vince Zampella

"Zampella" redirects here. For the American film and multimedia producer, see Richard Zampella.

Vince Zampella
Zampella in 2019[1]
Born
Vincent Walter Zampella II

(1970-10-01)October 1, 1970
DiedDecember 21, 2025(2025-12-21) (aged 55)
Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County, California, U.S.
OccupationVideo game designer
Years active1997–2025
Notable work
TitleCo-founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment
Children3

Vincent Walter Zampella II (October 1, 1970 – December 21, 2025) was an American video game designer. He was best known for being a co-founder and the studio head of Infinity Ward, the head of Respawn Entertainment, and the CEO of Ripple Effect Studios.[2][3]

Early life and career

Vincent Walter Zampella II was born on October 1, 1970.[4][5] As a child he developed an early interest in video games, having Donkey Kong as his childhood favorite.[6] After dropping out of Broward College (then Broward Community College) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Zampella worked as a handyman.[4][7] A friend helped him get a job at game company GameTek, where he performed various roles such as customer service and game testing.[7][6] In an interview with Gamezilla, Zampella said he "started out in graphic design and digital video at GameTek, then went to Atari to help launch its PC division" sometime before 1997.[7][8] He also worked at Panasonic Interactive Media/Ripcord Games and SegaSoft, where he met Jason West, with whom he later founded Infinity Ward along with Grant Collier.[7][9]

In September 1999, Zampella moved from Silicon Valley to work for 2015 Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[10] By 2001, he was director of development of 2015 Inc.[11] He worked there through 2002; during that time he was credited as the lead designer for the critically acclaimed Medal of Honor: Allied Assault.[12] He continued on further Medal of Honor work.[3]

Infinity Ward

Shortly after Infinity Ward's creation, Electronic Arts decided to move Medal of Honor development in-house, and Infinity Ward took a deal with Activision to create a new game, codenamed "MOH Killer".[13] "MOH Killer" became Call of Duty, and Activision acquired Infinity Ward shortly after the game's release. At the same time, Zampella and fellow Infinity Ward employee Jason West signed long-term employment contracts with Activision.[14] Under Zampella's and West's leadership, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2 (2005), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009).[15]

Respawn Entertainment and EA

Months after the successful release of Modern Warfare 2, Zampella and Jason West were fired by Activision and denied "$36 million in bonuses and royalties they'd been expecting". The pair sued Activision for wrongful termination that week and founded Respawn Entertainment a month later. During the years-long Activision suit, Zampella and West demanded $1 billion in damages from Activision, up from the initial $36 million.[16] Other former Infinity Ward employees joined the suit. In May 2012, Activision paid the other ex-employees $42 million in a non-settlement, mid-trial payment,[17] and later in June that year eventually settled with Zampella and West for an undisclosed amount.[16]

After founding Respawn in April 2010, West and Zampella signed with Electronic Arts for the release of their next game.[18] West left Respawn in March 2013.[19] The studio released two Titanfall games and then was acquired by EA in November 2017.[20] In January 2020, EA announced that Zampella would lead the Los Angeles branch of DICE.[21] In 2021, EA put Zampella in charge of the Battlefield franchise after the "challenging" launch of Battlefield 2042 and the departure of Oskar Gabrielson, general manager of DICE.[22] DICE LA was renamed Ripple Effect Studios in July 2021.[23] Under EA, the studio released Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (both 2019), Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023), and Battlefield 6 (2025).[24]

Personal life

In a 2001 interview, Zampella said that he had "always been an avid computer user and gamer". At the time he was a casual Counter-Strike player.[25] According to TMZ, Zampella's wife Brigitte filed for divorce in 2015. At the time it was reported that they had three children.[26]

Death

On December 21, 2025, Zampella died after the 2026 Ferrari 296 GTS he was driving veered off a road and struck a concrete barrier after exiting a tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles. The vehicle then caught fire. A passenger in the vehicle was ejected and also died. Zampella was 55.[27][24]

Electronic Arts released a statement calling Zampella "a friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator" whose influence on the video game industry was "profound and far-reaching".[28] The Twitter accounts for Battlefield, Respawn, and Apex Legends posted statements honoring Zampella.[29][30][31]

Infinity Ward released a statement honoring Zampella and said that his "legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment was immeasurable" and offered condolences to his family and loved ones.[32] Treyarch also released a statement, "We're deeply saddened by Vince Zampella's tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten."[33]

References

  1. ^ Takahashi, Dean (February 4, 2019). "Respawn's Vince Zampella interview — Why you won't see Titans in Apex Legends". VentureBeat. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Bailey, Kat (September 16, 2024). "Exclusive: Vince Zampella Confirms Next Battlefield Will Use Modern Setting, First Concept Art Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (December 22, 2010). "The Modern Warfare Fight: Your Guide to Activision Vs. Infinity Ward". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind the cultural phenomenon Call of Duty". The Telegraph. December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  5. ^ Zampella, Vince [@VinceZampella] (October 1, 2022). "Today is my birthday" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 22, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b MacDonald, Keza; Stuart, Keith (December 23, 2025). "Call of Duty's Vince Zampella was a video games visionary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Chafkin, Max (June 11, 2013). "Modern Warfare". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Eatough, Mitch. "Interview with Vince Zampella, Baldies Producer". Gamezilla. Archived from the original on February 2, 2002. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "Bangai-O Spirits Elite Design Contest". IGN. September 3, 2006. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Colberg, Sonya (June 12, 2000). "Somebody's Gotta Do It". Tulsa World. p. 7. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Nascenzi, Nicole (January 10, 2001). "Game of Honor". Tulsa World. p. E1. Retrieved December 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Smith, Ed (June 10, 2016). "Why 2002 Was Possibly the Most Important Year in Video Gaming History". Vice. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Medal of Honor killer: A Call of Duty story". MCV. May 15, 2019. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  14. ^ "Activision Acquires Infinity Ward Developer Of Critically Acclaimed PC Game Call Of Duty™". investor.activision.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Moreau, Jordan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, 'Call of Duty' Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Gardner, Eriq (May 31, 2012). "Activision Settles Huge 'Call of Duty' Litigation on Eve of Trial". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  17. ^ Grant, Christopher (May 15, 2012). "Activision pays $42m to former Infinity Ward devs, not a settlement". Polygon. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  18. ^ Pham, Alex; Ben Fritz (April 12, 2010). "Jason West and Vincent Zampella's new call of duty". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  19. ^ Crecente, Brian (March 3, 2013). "Respawn Entertainment co-founder Jason West retires". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  20. ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 9, 2017). "EA to acquire Titanfall developer Respawn". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  21. ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 2, 2020). "Respawn Entertainment Co-Founder Vince Zampella to Head DICE's L.A.-Based Game Studio". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Pereira, Chris; Makuch, Eddie (December 2, 2021). "Battlefield Franchise Undergoes Major Shake-Up". GameSpot. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  23. ^ Phillips, Tom (July 8, 2021). "Battlefield developer DICE LA renamed to Ripple Effect Studios". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  24. ^ a b McCaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). "Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident". IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  25. ^ "Medal of Honor Interview". Evil Avatar. Archived from the original on March 31, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  26. ^ "Call of Duty Creator's Wife Files for Mega-Divorce". TMZ. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  27. ^ Broad, Dennis; Lloyd, Jonathan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, video game developer behind Call of Duty franchise, killed in crash". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  28. ^ Moreau, Jordan (December 22, 2025). "Vince Zampella, 'Call of Duty' Creator, Dies at 55 in Car Accident". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  29. ^ @PlayApex, Apex Legends. "Rest easy, Vince. Thank you". X (formerly Twitter).
  30. ^ @Respawn, Respawn Entertainment. "We're heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella". X (formerly Twitter).
  31. ^ @Battlefield, Battlefield. "We are heartbroken by the loss of Vince Zampella". X (formerly Twitter).
  32. ^ Mccaffrey, Ryan (December 22, 2025). "Call of Duty Co-Creator, Respawn Co-Founder, and EA Executive Vince Zampella Killed in Car Accident". IGN. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  33. ^ @Treyarch, Treyarch. "We're deeply saddened by Vince Zampella's tragic passing. His legacy as one of the founders of Call of Duty and a legend of our industry will never be forgotten". X (formerly Twitter).
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